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This In Focus interview is with Kamal Mostofi and was conducted by Sarah Fitzgerald-Jones. Sarah says :- If you have not heard of this amazing photographer let me you introduce you to the wonderful Kamal Mostofi! Whether you have heard of Kamal Mostofi or not you will find so much of this interview inspiring and for me […]

We here at Fstoppers can forgive our beloved Trevor Dayley for jumping ship and joined the crew over at SLRLounge as long as he keeps turning us on to useful tools and tips like the Adobe Color CC app. This thing is so cool and it’s free. Adobe never seems to stop enriching it’s eco systems with improved connectivity and functionality. The Color CC app allows you to sample real world colors (you’ll see what I mean by that in Trevor’s video) or create color palettes from photos straight from your mobile device. All your captures are saved as “themes” directly to your Creative Cloud account to be access later in Comp CC, Illustrator Draw, Photoshop Sketch, Illustrator, InDesign and most importantly Photoshop. Trevor’s full post, which details the usefulness of the app, can be found here on SLRLounge and you can check out Adobe’s in-depth tutorial here. Download it free for iPhone or Android.

Capture color combinations whenever inspiration strikes with Adobe Color CC and your iPhone, iPad or Android devices. Your color themes are automatically saved to Creative Cloud Libraries for access in desktop and mobile apps, or to share with your team. Color CC now works with the Apple Watch, so you can browse themes from other users around you and save them to your libraries. -Adobe

The DxO One, which was previously launched in the US, is now also available to purchase in the Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, with further European territories to follow in the coming months. It can be bought for £449 via their online store, or from one of their dedicated resellers.

APOY 2015 round 8: Shades of Grey Please visit the APOY 2015 home page to find all the rules for entry, terms and conditions, the APOY ENTRY EMAIL ADDRESS and the…

The DxO One features a high performance prime lens with a maximum aperture of f/1.8, it has a 20.2 MP 1″ sensor, a top shutter speeds of 1/8000 of a second, and is capable of Raw image capture. It is designed to be small enough to fit into a pocket or purse, and attaches easily to your iPhone whenever you need to take images.

Today, #Olympus Japan announced sales of OM-D E-M10 Mark II cameras will start back up in November 2015, roughly two months after the initial service advisory was announced.

In the announcement, Olympus ensures that anyone who has already purchased an OM-D E-M10 Mark II with a defective lens mount pin is still eligible for a free repair. To see if your #camera could possibly be affected by this issue, head on over to our original post.

If you have additional questions you can contact Olympus Customer Care at 1–800–622–6372 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday. Or you can click here for more information.

Earlier this month, Olympus issued a service advisory for OM-D E-M10 Mark II owners whose cameras were affected by a lens mount locking pin issue that caused plastic mount lenses to not secure properly to the camera body. As a result, Olympus also announced it was pausing the sales of all E-M10 II until the issue was fixed for all units in transit or sitting on shelves.

The question I asked myself when reading the press release was whether 120MP will offer the same levels of quality or better without too many compromises being made.

My first reaction and biggest worry was diffraction. Though I won’t go too far into the technical details here, diffraction is the optical effect you see when the sensor pixels are so small they make it impossible to resolve a single pixel in the scene at a given aperture. This effect gets worse as the aperture decreases.

In much simplified terms, if you have a really high megapixel sensor, the maximum aperture you can use before diffraction blurs the image is wider than a lower megapixel sensor. That said, there is a theoretical limit and then also a subjective “visibly acceptable” limit too — you can often get perfectly acceptable images at apertures beyond the diffraction-limit (DLA), but the diffraction blur gets rapidly worse the more you go beyond the theoretical limit.

For the 50MP full frame cameras this theoretical limit is theoretically around f/7, but I personally found a pretty good keeper-rate all the way up to f/11 with the 5DS. Beyond that, images were very muddy, blurry and mostly unusable except for posting on social-media. Post-capture sharpening makes diffraction blur WORSE, so it’s not much of a solution.

Doing the maths for the new 120 megapixel #camera means the maximum aperture usable before diffraction is somewhere between f/4.5-f/5. That’s an astonishingly high f-number, higher than many L-lens maximum apertures; in theory, you will never be able to reach even the theoretical limit of diffraction for a whole swathe of #Canon lenses, as many start at f/4.

A general rule of thumb I’ve noticed is that an aperture 3-stops below the theoretical limit is where the effects of diffraction are spoiling most images. If the DLA for this new camera is in the ballpark of f/4, from f/8 onwards you are going to struggle to get clean images. High-resolution cameras often go hand-in-hand with studio and landscape work, which tend to favor narrow apertures, so this seems to be at odds with this new sensor.

The 5DS/5DSR also highlighted that some of Canon’s older or lower-quality lenses were unable to make full use of the improved resolution — quite a number in fact, only ~40% of Canon’s lineup were recommended. With the resolution bar set almost three times higher it will be interesting to see how the number of recommended lenses that can leverage the full capability of the sensor changes.

Image size is going to be fun to see too. Already the full resolution RAW files from the 5DS/R and A7RII cause noticeable lag when loading and processing in Lightroom, even in top-end machines, so tripling the amount of data will magnify that issue. Storage space is a consideration too, even though cards and drives are getting cheaper and larger all the time. JPGs out of camera on the 5DS are in the region of 25MB, so could we be looking at 70+ megabyte JPGs? The RAW files of this new camera will be 210MB. This will certainly have an impact on burst mode and buffering too, though for landscape users this likely won’t be a deal breaker. Except the HDR crowd maybe!

I think it’s great Canon are coming out and publicly showing they are still trying to push sensors. It’s good for photography to have multiple companies pushing the tech forward. I’m cautiously optimistic.

About the author: David Candlish is a photographer from the UK and currently living in Singapore. You can connect with him through his website, Twitter, Instagram, and Flickr. This article was also published here.

Canon’s latest press release has confirmed some of the rumors that have been floating around the Internet for a while now; that it has decided the megapixel war is not over and is preparing to drop its “nuclear option”, a 120-megapixel behemoth. The 5DS/5DSR and a7R II cameras have shown that ~50MP models definitely have a place in the market and offer consumers super-high resolution cameras at a price point significantly cheaper than traditional medium format options. While these models aren’t without their flaws, they are by-and-large very capable cameras offering a noticeable step-up in resolution and image quality.

In a typical week, that would be plenty enough for our Firmware Friday roundup, but even having already told you about all of that this week, we’re still left with a whole lot to discuss. We have news of updates for two #Canon DSLRs, two #Nikon DSLRs, two business-oriented Ricoh rugged cameras and an action #camera from Chinese brand XiaoYi.

We’ll start with Canon, whose updates for the EOS-1D X and EOS-1D C DSLRs landed a couple of days ago. In both cases, the updates fix the exact same issue: The autofocus drive continuing to operate intermittently with a shutter button half-press, even when the custom functions had been set to activate metering only on a half-press.

Canon EOS-1D X owners can download the firmware version 2.0.8 update from Canon’s website and install it themselves. Canon EOS-1D C, owners, however, will have to return their camera to Canon to have the firmware version 1.4.0 update installed, and may have to pay for shipping and handling.

Next up, we have Nikon’s updates for the D5200 and D7100 DSLRs. Both updates aim to resolve a problem with camera lockup when the “Clean image sensor” function has been activated, as well as horizontal banding in HD (1,280 x 720 pixel) movies shot at 50p or 60p frame rates.

For the D7100 only, there are also fixes for a problem with camera lockups during menu scrolling in some languages, as well as an issue that caused the screen to darken during image review if the playback button was pressed. An unspecified problem with the viewfinder virtual horizon has also been corrected.

Next up this week, we have new firmware for the Ricoh G800 and G800SE. These rugged cameras are aimed at business and industrial use, and differ in the latter’s Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS and bar code scanning capabilities. (Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are built-in, while the other functions require optional accessories.)

New firmware for the Ricoh G800SE and G800 resolves an issue with connection to PictBridge-compliant printers. For the G800, that’s the only change, but the G800SE also gets some other tweaks. A problem that prevented image transfer when using the date folder option has been fixed, and support added for more 802.1x certificates. These include certificates that expire after the year 2038, chained certificates, and PEAP with EAP-MSCHAP v2 certificates (but only with an EAP-TLS certificate key of 2,048 bit or less.)

And finally, we come to the XiaoYi action camera, for which firmware version 1.2.12 landed earlier this week. Here, there have been tweaks to power-saving mode for greater battery life, and to sounds and status lights for better status indication. Behavior in time-lapse, burst mode and loop video recording has also been changed. Problems with app connectivity and live view have also been fixed, as well as issues with image reversal and clip length in time-lapse shooting. You can download the XiaoYi action camera firmware version 1.2.12 here.

And that brings us to the end of a rather action-packed week on the firmware front. Enjoy your weekend, and be sure to check back next time for more Firmware Friday news!

We’ve already told you about a pair of upcoming updates from #Olympus and Sony earlier in the week. Firstly, Olympus will be updating both the E-M1 and E-M5 II mirrorless cameras in a couple of months, adding a raft of new features to both. And then we have Sony’s plans for uncompressed raw support in the Alpha A7S II and A7R II mirrorless cameras, a plan that may possibly spread over time to bring other A7-series firmware updates.

Nonetheless, this is exciting news. The 645z uses the same 51 MP Sony sensor as many bodies costing five times as much and produces spectacular files with tremendous latitude; if the full frame model uses a similar sensor (perhaps something akin to that found in the a7R II), you can expect some serious competition on the market. Check out the images from Pentax below and let us know what you hope to see in this #camera!

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland based portrait, events and landscape photographer. He is currently a PhD student in applied mathematics, where his work often involves the mathematics of imaging. He is also a composer and an avid horse enthusiast.

I believe this is to announce a “Full Frame” format camera from PENTAX… The 645 was introduced some time ago and is a MF camera – This new ‘FF’ is about 6 months away.

Pentax should enter the market (of full frame cameras) with a plan or else, they’ll be simply eaten by the big boys. It should posess unique (useful and innovative) features that #Nikon and #Canon doesn’t have. And hopefully release a good line of lenses.

They get pretty crazy with the sensor shifting… Can even shift sensor to follow star motion, allowing lower ISO, longer shots…Variable optical low pass filter – And that was a few generations ago. They have a reputation of being ‘built like a tank’ (in a good way) – Problem was limited/expensive lens collection. So no matter what the body can do it needs to have 3 nice lenses at launch and the promise of..? Will be interesting.

3 lenses? They have 6 full frame lenses in their catalog now, plus more than a dozen they used to build recently and could bring back to production. Add to this the hundreds of SLR lenses they have ever built, K-mount’s best in business backwards compatibility, and great optical and build quality pentax is famous for, and lenses are the least of the worries with this system.

I still have faith for Pentax. I just want the company to be unique and not just another FF DSLR in the market. And since they are having a high MP sensor, they can start off with a good set of prime lenses. If Sigma can do it without breaking the bank, Pentax should be able to produce quality glass.

Used to shoot Pentax 67II in film era 🙂 and if they deliver the same way in FF like they did with 645z then this is the best thing they can do… now Nikon and Canon might watch for this guy 🙂

Today, Pentax posted a teaser page on its website, announcing the debut of a full frame camera, finally bringing to fruition a camera system many have long thought was in the making.Pentax, the company that peculiarly has a medium format camera and a line of APS-C cameras, but no full frame system, is finally filling that gap and frankly, we’re excited. The 645z produces unbelievably gorgeous files, while their APS-C line has a small, but very devoted following. Information is scant at the moment, as Pentax has only posted a few silhouettes of the camera with the text “Full Frame by Pentax: Spring 2016 Debut.”

https://www.thenps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/pentax-full-frame.jpg540960The NPShttps://www.thenps.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/nps-logo.pngThe NPS2015-09-19 12:32:402015-09-19 14:35:30The Pentax Full Frame Camera Is Finally on Its Way

It is quite incredible what this #camera can achieve. Although the footage at 4,560,000 ISO is expectedly noisy it still blows your mind to think that the sensor is effectively turning a pitch black source into something recognizable without any infrared assistance. Dropping the ISO to the 100,000 ISO range produces a rather pleasing and completely usable image.

This new camera really pushes the boundaries of what sensors are capable of recording and given enough time these will surely become standard specs on consumer products. At the moment however this is a very niche product, and although it is slated for release this coming December, the price point remains at the earlier speculated $30,000.

Peter House is a commercial fashion photographer from Toronto, Canada. He shoots over 10,000 pieces of clothing every year for a variety of lookbooks. Clients range from small local boutiques to international brands such as Target, Winners, and Sears. In addition to that Peter runs one of the most popular rental studio’s in the Toronto area.

Huge pixels, high gain. I wonder what is their base ISO? 4 096 000 is as far from, say, 16 000 (normal ISO for modern camera, right) as 16 000 from 64 – i.e. 8 steps.

I like the scene shot with just candle light. Then I think back a few decades back, when Stanley Kubrick shot scenes in Barry Lyndon, with just candle light.

A while ago we reported that #Canon has come out with a new camera geared towards shooting at extremely high ISO. The new ME20F-SH from Canon can shoot in full HD at over 4,000,000 ISO. Now Canon Japan has released some promotional footage to show us what we can expect from this new camera and these new possibilities.

When the shutter is pressed, the transmitter sends an ISM 2.4GHz wireless signal to the receiver that can fire the flash from a distance of up to 200 metres.

The real highlight, though, is that the flash trigger works with TTL metering. This means the flash sends a small pre-flash, calculates how much power output is required with your chosen #camera settings, and then meters it accordingly.

TTL metering is invaluable in situations where your subject is moving, a shot needs to be taken quickly or there’s no time to set a manually determined flash power output. I often rely on it for candid photos at weddings when it’s dark, or if it’s hard to shoot with ambient light.

The large button on the front of the transmitter tests the flash, while one below it allows users to switch between normal high-speed sync and second-curtain sync modes.

High-speed sync ensures the flash fires at shutter speeds up to 1/8,000sec for capturing action. Second-curtain sync allows the flash to fire at the end of an exposure, ideal for capturing ambient light while using flash. The bottom of the receiver features a 1/4in tripod thread, but if you have a shoe-mounting flash modifier you’ll need to buy a tripod-to-shoe adapter.

I was disappointed that the Hänhel Tuff TTL comes without an included shoe adapter, as it makes pairing it with shoe-mounted softboxes rather difficult. There’s also no functionality to adjust exposure compensation on the remote. However, it is exceptionally good value for money, well built and gives consistently good results in use without any misfiring issues.

This trigger set allows users to run multiple off-camera flashes on different groups and channels. The system can be used in manual or with TTL metering. The transmitter also lets users individually configure the lighting set-up, including adjusting exposure compensation for TTL flashguns.

Often the flash trigger of choice for many professional photographers, the PocketWizard kit works manually or TTL, with the option to adjust ±3EV using the AC3 accessory. However, it comes at a steep price.

Although these triggers don’t feature TTL metering, the Cactus V6 can be used to fire off-camera flashes and change the power setting from another V6 unit. As an added bonus, they can handily also be used on any camera using any type of flash.

APOY 2015 round 7: Lie of the Land Please visit the APOY 2015 home page to find all the rules for entry, terms and conditions, the APOY ENTRY EMAIL ADDRESS…

Hähnel Tuff TTL wireless triggers were released back in 2012, but they are still very well regarded as reliable off-camera flash-triggering kits. This particular kit comes as a pair, comprising a transmitter and a receiver, and is available in #Canon or #Nikon fit. The receiver attaches to a flashgun and the transmitter attaches to the camera’s shoe.

As you can see in the video above, the #camera is able to “see” in pitch blackness — #Canon says you’ll be able to shoot under a moonless night sky. At “lower” ISOs of 102,000, the image quality appears to be quite good:

When the sensitivity is boosted all the way up to ISO 4,560,000, there’s (understandably) a huge amount of noise, but you can definitely still make out the subjects in the scene:

Low-light filming is often done with infrared illumination, but the Canon ME20F-SH’s super sensitivity means you can capture night-vision style images without infrared.

Back in July, Canon announced an ultra-high-sensitivity camera that has a ridiculously high max ISO of over 4,000,000. If you’ve been wondering what the camera can capture, check out the eye-opening sample video above that Canon just released. The ME20F-SH features an EF lens mount and the ability to capture “high-quality” video even in situations in which the human eye can’t see anything. Its minimum subject illumination is 0.0005 lux, or the equivalent of ISO 4,000,000+.